Link



July 5, 1938. y c. F. LAUTZ ET AL LINK Filed Nov. 16, 1955 Patented July 5, 1938 PATENT OFFICE LINK Carl F. Lautz and Ralph F. Peo, Buffalo, N. Y., as-

signors to Houde Engineering Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York `Application November 16, 1935, Serial No. 50,085

7 Claims.

This invention relates to links adapted to be used as connecting units for shock absorbers and the like.

More specifically this invention relates to connecting links having oscillatory joints at both ends thereof together with means for sealing the joints and` simplified means for automatically taking up the wear of the joints.

The housing for the links of this invention may be formed from tubular metal stock and preferably formed in semi-cylindrical sections which can be readily Welded together along their matingvsurfaces to provide a substantially 'tubular housing. 'Ihe housing metal is extruded near the ends thereof to provide upstanding peripheral flanges which .define circular or oval openings in the. side Walls of the housing. The studs of the joints extend freely through these openings and have ball ends seated in concave disk members which are freely rotatable in the housing. A spacerA member is slidably mounted across the intermediate part of the housing and is urged at one end against an inner disk member. The other end of the spacer member abuts a coiled spring which is held under compression between the other inner ldisk member and the end of the spacer member. i

The joints-thus formed near the ends of the housing are efficiently sealed by resilient washers or grommets preferably formed of an oil-resistant rubber-like material such as Duprene, Since the openings formed in the sides of the housing are ybounded by peripheral edges lying in a flat plane, the rubber grommets or washers fit tightly against these edges and seal the joints from the atmosphere and against loss of lubricant. Movement of the stud relative to the housing is readily-permittedby interparticle flow of the grommets.

It is therefore an object of this invention to prepare a., connecting link having oscillatory joints formed near the ends thereof and effectively sealed against ingress of `dirt and loss of lubricant.

55 a. link having a plurality of disk seating elements for ball ended studs which are uniformly adjusted Y a connecting link having a tubular housing with side openings formed near the ends thereof for receiving ball-ended studs and also having a plurality of disk seating elements in bearing relation with the ball ends of the studs together with a single spring means for automatically taking up the wear of the bearing surfaces to prevent a loosening and rattling of the joints.

A further specific object of this invention is to provide a link having a tubular housing with oscillatory joints formed near both ends thereof and a spacer bar in the intermediate portion of the housing for transmitting adjusting movements applied to one of said joints to the other of said joints.

Other and further objects of this inventionrwill be apparent from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which forms a part of this specification.

On the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical cross-sectional View. with parts in elevation, of a link according to this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, with a part in cross section, taken substantially along the line II-II of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line III-III of Figure 1 with certain parts thereof omitted and broken away.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken transversely across the housing of the link according to this invention and showing the manner in which the tubular housing is extruded to provide an upstanding peripheral flange defining an opening in the side Wall of the housing with the edges of the opening lying in a fiat plane.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken substantially along the line V-V of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the modified form of link according to this invention having a lubricating channel formed through the stud element.

As shown on the drawing:

In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the reference numeral Ill indicates generally the tubularmetal housing for the links of this invention. The housing I0 is formed from two complementary semi-cylindrical half-sections Il and I2 respectively which are welded together along their mating surfaces after the extruding operation to form the upturned ilanges such as I3 shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The link shown in Figure 1 has the studs I 4-I5 thereof projecting from the same side of the link and therefore the semicylindrical section I I is provided with an opening I6 (Figurell) near each end thereof. The metal surroundingl the openings I6 is then extruded outwardly to form the flange I3 forming an enlarged opening through which the studs I4 and I5 project. The ilanges I3 provide a flat peripheral .edge around the openings for a purpose to be .duced neck portion 42 is flat. However, as shown hereinafterV described.

- After the formation. of the flanges I3 the semicylindrical tubular portion rIll may be welded to the bottom portion I2 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. It is obvious, of course, that one of the openf ings I6 and one of the anges I3 can be formed in the other semi-cylindrical member I2, in case it is desired to provide a link having'the studs projectingrfrom opposite sides thereof.

#During the-eX-truding operation to form the flanges I3, the member II can also be punctured and extruded as shown at I'I (Figure 1) to provide an outturned boss for receiving a lubricant tting I8.

As shown in Figures l, 2 and 6, the housing IB has an inturned flange I9 formed on one end thereof for defining a restricted opening 20 in the endfof the link.

circular disk seating member 2| abuts the flange I9 and has a laterally extending collar or shank-22 seateclin the opening 20 dened by the Flange ISI.y

"The face of the seating member 2I is concave as vshown for receiving a portion of the ball end 23 of the stud I5 in bearing relation.

A' pair vof innercircular disk seating members 24 and 25 are provided in the housing I0. The disk 24 receives a portion of the ball endl 23 of the lstud I5 while the disk 25 receives a portion -of the ball end 25 of the stud I4 in bearing engagement therewith. y

, A split cylindrical spacer member -2'I is slidably mounted in the Vintermediate portion of the hous- II] and abuts-the disk member 24 at one end thereof and a coiled spring 28 at the other end thereof.' -The coiledspring, in turn, abuts the back vof the disk member 25.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the spacer member -21-is'=s'l itvvas-at 29 and can be cheaply formed froma't stock-by merely rolling the stock around a mandrel. The-member 21, at the same time, is partly compressed within the housing II) so that it will not rattle therein. f

The Vother end of the housing I0 is threaded as at-,30Yfor receiving a plug 3| Yhaving a concave face which'acts as-a seating member for a portion of the ball Yend 26 ofthe stud I4. The plug SI is grooved as at 32 and a Cotter pin 33 may be providedto lock the stud in Vadjusted position.

Lubricant from the nipple 'I8 can readily travelalong the spacer'member 27 Ai.of 1ubricate the spring 28,` vFurthermore, the innerdisk members 24l and 25 may be'provid'ed with'openingsill and 35 through-the central portion thereof 'for transmitting the' lubricant tothev bearing "surfaces of the disk and ball members.

If desired, the concave faces of the disk members "may: be-grooved'as shown at 36f for distributing the 'lubricant along the bearing surfaces.-

J'The side openings in the housing I0 throughwhich. ther-studs vI4 and I5 project -are sealed by resilient lgro'mmets. or washers 3'Iv and 38 which SnuglyLntIarOund-Lthe Shanks Aof the studs asV in Figures 1 and 6, this bottomof the reduced neck portion 42 is distorted or compressed against the disk members and assumes the contour of these members through interparticle ow of the rubber material.

Metal caps 43 and 44 t over the grommets 31 and 38 respectively. These caps 43 and 44 are `provided-with enlarged vcentral openings 45and 46 respectively through which 4the Shanks .of the stud members I4 and I5 can freely project.A .f

Connecting arms such as 41 are `secured tothe Shanks-of the stud members I4 and I5 as shown at I5 and vhold the rubber grommets 371 and 38 under slight compression' to maintain a tight lfit of the grommets against the at yperipheral edges deiining the side Vopenings in the housing -I|J. :In this mannerk the oscillatory joints. formed on both ends of the link are effectively sealed against ingress of dirt and egress of lubricant.

Since the'peripheraledges of the side openings in the Yhousing; lie in a fiat plane a. full contacting of ithe shoulders 39 and 401ofthe grommets therewith is insured.

As shown in Figure 6, each'oscillatory yjoint-in the link may be separately lubricated by providing Vcommunicating. passagewaysy 48 and.49 inthe connecting arm 41a and stem member .I5a. The passageway 48 of the Vconnecting arm 41a has a lubricatingn-ipple 5U threaded therein while the passageway 49 .of the stud member I5a. opens at the :bottom ofltheballV end 23a',l of the stud. Lu-

sageways 48and 4S are shown as the vpreferred Y modification because suiicient space is not available .in actual use on top of thearm 41avfor1the nipple50. f

From the above description itv should-be understood that the joints of Ithis invention-utilize asingle'spring member such as 28 tov take up any wear of the bearing surfaces of the two separate oscillatory joints. The plug member-3l is `threaded into the housing I- a sucientdista-nce' to compress. the spring I28 and thereby maintainthe disk members of the-joint1in1snugengagement'with the ball ends of ytl'iei'studsaH As-the bearing surfaces wear away during. useoff-the' joint 4the springmember 28 expandsato -autom'ati-i cally take up this wear andthe expansion of-thel spring is eifective against both of vthe inner1disk members since it--is transmitted throughvthespacer member` 2lv to thevdisk member- 24 yand also since4 it acts'directly against the disk memberA V'The provision -Jofthe lups'tanding 'extrludedV flanges I3 around the side openings in the housing insures a tight fitting seal for the joint and makes possible the use of a simple rubber grommet as the sealing means.

In operation, the joints at the ends of the housing permit a free movement of the studs therein in all directions relative to the housing. This movement is readily permitted by the interparticle flow of the rubber grommets which merely impart a desired resistance to the movements of the stud.

The links of this invention can be formed from low priced parts which can be assembled without difficulty. l

. We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

l. A link comprising an elongated tubular member having openings formed in the side walls thereof, extruded upturned flanges defining said openings to provide tops for the openings lying in a flat plane, inner and outer seating members adjacent said openings at the ends of said housl ing, said inner seating members being slidable in the housing, ball-ended studs in bearing engagement with the faces of said seating members, a rigid spacer member slidable in the intermediate portion of said housing and a single coiled spring held under compression between said spacer member and one of said inner disk members for urging said inner seating members tightly against saidl stud members for automatically taking up wear of the cooperating bearing surfaces thereof, and rubber grommets tted over the flat peripheral edges of the openings and extending into the housing to effectively seal the housing against ingress of dirt and egress of lubrication.

2. A link comprising a tubular metal housing having an inturned flange at one end thereof and a pair of spaced openings in the side walls thereof adapted to receive studs therethrough, an outer disk member abutting said Yflange at the end of the housing having a concave face in alignment with one of said side openings in the housing, a stud member having a ball end seated in said concave face, a second seating member on the opposite side of said ball end having a concave face for receiving said ball end, a plug member threaded in the other end of said housing and having a concave face for receiving the ball end of another stud member, a second seating member slidable in the housing and having a concave face for receiving the opposite side of said ball end, a spacer bar in the intermediate portion of the housing abutting one of said seating members, a coiled spring held under compression between the other end of said spacer bar and the other slidable seating member whereby said seating members are held in full bearing engagement with the ball ends of the studs, and resilient rubber grommets disposed around said studs and seated snugly around the peripheries of the side openings in the housing to seal the housing.

3. A link comprising a tubular metal housing having an inturned flange at one end thereof and a plug threaded in the lother end thereof, a disk seatingl member abutting said inturned flange and having a concave face, said plug member at the other end of said housing also having a concave face, a pair of inner disk members having concave faces in spaced relation from the faces of said plug and said outer disk member, studs having ball ends seated in said concave faces, means in the intermediate portion of said housing urged against said inner disk members for taking up wear of the bearing surfaces of the disks and ball ends of the studs, and means for lubricating said bearing surfaces.

4. A link comprising a tubular metal housing having a pair of oscillatory stud joints formed near the ends thereof, said joints including inner disk seating members slidable in the housing, a spacer member slidable in the intermediate portion of said housing and a single coiled spring held under compression between said spacer member and one of said inner disk members whereby said disk members are urged in bearing engagement against the studs of the joints, openings extending through the inner disk members, and means for supplying lubricant to the intermediate portion of said housing for travel through said openings to lubricate the joints.

.5. In a link a tubular housing having oscillatory joints at the ends thereof including stud seating members slidable in the housing, an elongated split tubular spacer slidably mounted in the intermediate portion of the housing under slight radial compression and a relatively short coiled spring under compression between one end of the spacer and a seating member whereby the joint elements are maintained in proper bearing rela,- tion.

6. In a joint a tubular housing having an oscillatory joint formed at least at one end thereof,

said joint being composed of a plurality of joint elements, an elongated longitudinally split spacer slidable in the housing under radial compression to prevent rattling and means to slide said member against one of the joint elements to maintain proper bearing relation between the parts of the joint.

7. A link comprising a cylindrical tube having an opening in the side thereof, said tube having an outturned tubular portion extending normal to the axis of the tube around the opening, a rim defined by the edge of the tubular portion, said rim lying in a flat plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the tube, means in said tube defining bearing surfaces adjacent said opening, a stud having a shank portion projecting freely through said opening and a head portion in said tube in bearing engagement with said bearing surfaces, a resilient grommet fitted snugly around the shank of said stud and mounted on said rim, said grommet also having a portion thereof snugly disposed around said shank of the stud and extending into the tube whereby said tube is effectively sealed and movement of the stud relative to the tube can occur through interparticle flow of the grommet material without breaking the seal.

CARL F. LAUTZ. RALPH F. PEO. 

